I was looking into the history of some of the local airfields around here and settled on RAF Ludford Magna..It was known at the time as Mudford Magna. 101 Squadron flew from there and sustained the highest casualty rate of any Bomber Command Squadron.

All that was 70 years ago and is of passing interest to the young of today you may think. However, I had occasion to take a young 15 year old girl and her Father to East Kirby and have a look at the museum there. Part of the display is a small chapel of memorial to the two squadrons that flew from there. The girl looked at the list of those missing and I could see it dawning on her that there was a lot of names.

Over a brew I asked a now thoughtful girl. "did you do world war 2 in history at school" she said no just world war one.

I said "well you probably did the Somme". She said "yes" and I said "well Bomber Command was an all volunteer force and made up of young kids who in the main were too young to vote, drink or drive a car". They took the highest casualty rate of any force in the British or for that matter German Forces. Nearly fifty percent died and many more were wounded. You had more chance of survival as a young 2nd Lt on the Somme than you did of surviving 30 mission  with Bomber Command". She looked very thoughtful and then i said.. Would you fight for your country with odds like that and to her credit she said "Yes I think  I would".

There is an airfield in UK every 11 miles.. Next time you pass one give the spirit of those young men that still inhabits those now cracking runways and buildings a nod and thank them for what they did. One girl did and it was good to witness.

As to schools not teaching world war two.. Well, thats beyond me.

Anyway, to them a salute and a link formed from the young of 2015 to the young of 1939-45. Bless em all.